Scientists reverse lasting liver damage

27/12/2007

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have found that lasting damage to the liver can be stopped and even reversed.

Their discovery, published in the Public Library of Science Online journal after tests on animals, means there could be a way to treat and cure conditions that lead to excessive tissue scarring around the organ.

Conditions such as viral hepatitis, fatty liver disease, cirrhosis and pulmonary fibrosis are caused by excessive scar tissue around the liver, which can be a result of prolonged heavy drinking, liver or lung disease and burns.

However the research team has found that by blocking a specific protein linked to the overproduction of scar tissue in mice, they were able to stop and then reverse some of the cell damage that had already occurred.

The team had already shown that the process of scarring could be prevented or halted, but the new discovery of the ability to reverse the damage is a brand new development.

'Six years ago we showed a way to prevent or stop the excessive scarring in animal models,' said Martina Buck, assistant professor of medicine at UCSD.

'Our latest finding proves that we can actually reverse the damage.'

Professor Buck added that the discovery of a way to reduce scar tissue formation would not affect the way the body's defences operate.

The hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activity that goes to work when the liver is damaged will still continue to do their job but the side effect of excess collagen will no longer be a problem.

'The cells continue to do their normal, healing work but their excess proliferation is controlled,' she continued.

'Remarkably the death of HSC may also allow recovery from liver injury and reversal of liver fibrosis.'

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